In the
liner notes to this reissued live album (recorded
in Wolverhampton in 1980), Toyah claims it
represents 'one of the last gigs I did as a club
act. Three months later I was the biggest thing
in England since sliced bread'. The diminutive
singer-cum-TV presenter was never one to hide her
light under a bushel, but this claim is as
fatuous as it is conceited. OK, she made a crust
from the odd chart hit, but it was crumbs in
comparison to 1981's real breadwinners (Adam Ant,
The Police, Human League... Shakin' Stevens,
even).

Ego-related
niggle aside, this comprehensive reissue will
delight fans by adding eight tracks to the
original 10-track release. It's a
crisply-recorded (though undeniably dated and
somewhat lacking in crowd dynamic) live effort
showcasing much of the singer's then-current Blue
Meaning album. Single Ieya is probably the
best-known song of the lot, and Toyah takes to it
in suitably anthemic fashion.

By
the time It's A Mystery made the Top 10 the
following year a new backing outfit was in situ.
As a result, Toyah initially dismissed this live
album as irrelevant, though completists revelling
in the additional live tracks (two originally
appeared on B-sides) and 1982, will doubtless
disagree. Steve Adams